Kuantan Singingi, Riau, August 26, 2025 – The “2025 Traditional Pacu Jalur Festival,” one of the flagship events of the Ministry of Tourism’s Karisma Event Nusantara (KEN), was successfully held in Teluk Kuantan, Kuantan Singingi Regency, Riau, and is considered a success in promoting Indonesian tourism globally.
Held from August 20-24, 2025, this event is believed to have a broad impact on the regional economy, preserving culture and promoting tourism, strengthening Indonesia’s reputation globally.
The Deputy for Event Organizer Development (Events) at the Ministry of Tourism, Vinsensius Jemadu, in his statement on Tuesday (8/26/2025), expressed his appreciation for the success of the 2025 Traditional Pacu Jalur Festival, which is gaining global recognition through the support of KEN.
“Pacu Jalur is not just a traditional sporting event, but a cultural tourism magnet with a significant impact on the regional economy,” said Vinsen.
The success of the 2025 Traditional Pacu Jalur Festival is also expected to inspire and encourage other cultural events in Indonesia.
“Through Karisma Event Nusantara, we continue to encourage regional events like this to elevate the level and provide a memorable experience for tourists,” he said.
Kuantan Singingi Regent Suhardiman Amby said that an estimated 2 million people flocked to Kuantan Singingi (Kuansing) during the five-day event.
“If one person spends just IDR 50,000, the money turnover in Kuansing during Pacu Jalur can reach IDR 100 billion. This has a tremendous economic impact on the community,” said Regent Suhardiman.
Support from the Ministry of Tourism
The success of the 2025 Traditional Pacu Jalur Festival is inseparable from the support of the Ministry of Tourism through the Karisma Event Nusantara program. This program is a government strategy to improve the quality of regional event management through national promotion and event mentoring.
The Ministry of Tourism also provided promotional support for the 2025 KEN Traditional Pacu Jalur Festival (KEN Festival Pacu Jalur Tradisional) through live streaming on the Wonderful Indonesia Instagram account and the Pesona Indonesia TikTok account, with a total of 2,000 viewers on Instagram and 635,000 on TikTok.
The Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with TikTok Indonesia, also brought 10 TikTok creators to Kuantan Singingi, Riau.
In addition to witnessing the festival live, these TikTok creators also created a variety of engaging content during the event, capturing the enthusiasm of the community and promoting Riau culture.
The collaboration with TikTok Indonesia is expected to not only promote the natural beauty and tourism but also showcase Riau’s culture and traditions to the TikTok community both in Indonesia and globally.
The Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the Jakarta Tourism and Creative Economy Agency (Disparekraf), also provided support by organizing a pre-event trip for Melly Mike, the singer of the song “Young Black and Rich,” which became the background for the viral Aura Farming Pacu Jalur phenomenon on social media. Melly Mike was invited to explore tourist destinations and promote the unique culture, history, and cuisine of Jakarta before departing for Kuantan Singingi to attend the closing ceremony of the 2025 Traditional Pacu Jalur Festival.
Melly Mike herself performed at the closing ceremony on Sunday evening (August 24, 2025), performing the song “Young Black and Rich,” adding to the festive atmosphere. Not only Melly Mike, but also the Malay music of Iyeth Bustami added to the festive atmosphere.
Melly Mike also received a certificate of appreciation from the Governor of Riau, who appointed her as a World Pacu Jalur Ambassador. The certificate was given in appreciation of Melly Mike’s role in promoting Pacu Jalur on the international stage.
